Autumn's Adventure
by MrsJackSparrow21
Summary: Autumn needs money, so she joins the crew of none other than the Black Pearl. What happens? Read to find out! This is my first fan-fic... please be nice, but don't lie.
1. The Beginning

Autumn stood on the docks watching the crew working productively . It was exciting, to watch the hustle and bustle of a ship's crew. She watched as extra ammunition was being added to the ship, for there were many ship battle's raging at sea these days. Some of the best money was to be made working on a ship. Autumn remembered her mother and younger brother at home.

Money was coming in short and they needed some in order to keep the house that they lived in. Her mother was a midwife for the village and her brother was too young for work, other than helping around the house, so Autumn took matters into her own hands. She had searched for something to be able to be home every night, but nothing was available. That is when she decided to work on a ship. Her mother had not very well liked this idea, but gave up when her headstrong daughter wouldn't give up on the idea. Only males were allowed board a ship, something about how they caused bad luck. Autumn thought the idea stupid, but none the less disguised herself as a boy. She wrapped long pieces of fabric around her chest to make it less noticeable and wore a baggy shirt. Her long, silky, light brown hair, she had to cut, it almost made her sick to do so.

She looked around for someone to ask about a job. A big man was carrying crates walked in front of her.

"Excuse me? Sir?" She made her voice deeper, and hoped that it worked.  
The man looked at her and grunted.

"I am looking for who is in charge of this ship."

"Yonder." He pointed to wards the ship. He went back to moving his crate.

A man with long black hair, a red bandana, a floppy hat stood surveying his crew, occasionally giving out an order. He looked like a pirate, of course he was, but a refined one. He didn't go gallivanting around stealing other people's things. But, non-the-less, he kept his pirate look. His stature was also a drunken one, but of course that's what pirates, even refined ones, do, drink and lots of it.

She walked towards him and swallowed her rising fear, what if this doesn't work? She made her way up to him, "Excuse me?"

"What do ya need kid?" He looked down at her. She held her breath for a second. He smelled of rum.  
"I need a job."

He had an amused look on his face. "A job eh? You're pretty small, what could you provide to me ship?"

"I, well, anything you need me for, I'm stronger than I look." Which was true, she had to do most of the upkeep of her family's home.  
He eyed her up and down, which she thought rude. "Your voice is a bit high, how old are you?"

"Eighteen." She replied.  
"Oh, a eunich?" His smile was teasing.  
Autumn's face got a bit red, how dare he? "Look, if you don't need me, then just say so! I don't need all your questions! And whatever a eunich is, I am not one!"

He laughed, "I like your attitude kid. Welcome aboard! Me name is Captain Jack Sparrow." He stuck out his had for her to shake. "What is yours?"

She put her hand firmly into his, "My name is…" she paused, looking for a boy's name. "Jonathan." She said it firmly, it was her brother's name.  
"Well, Jonathan, go tell Mr. Gibbs that I've hired you, he will show you to your bunk and give you instructions on what you will be doing on my ship, the Black Pearl." Jack pointed to a larger man with graying hair.

"Thank you so much sir!" Autumn was happy, finally, she had a way to provide for her family. "Just call me Captain." He then turned his attentions to other activities on the dock.

The ship had set sail an hour earlier and it was a most exciting experience for Autumn. She even had to sign a code of conduct, and to break it, said Mr. Gibbs, would end in harsh punishment. No problem there, she thought. She was to help clean the decks and fix the sails if need be. Lucas, another member of the crew, would help her along the way. He was appointed by Mr. Gibbs to help her, as he didn't have time. So far everything was working well for Autumn, no one had any idea that she was a female.

Later that evening the crew sat around, enjoying free time. Most were drinking their rum and playing cards, other's dozed off to the sound of the ocean slapping against the side of the ship. There were a few musicians aboard who had earlier finished a round of lively music and were now enjoying rum and cards.

"This your first time on a ship Jonathan?" Lucas was sitting near her on the deck. He seemed to be about twenty years of age, with short brown hair. Muscles were also part of his features due to the heavy work he did.  
"Yes it is." She replied, hopefully she could keep her voice deep enough to survive this voyage.  
"A great place to be, the sea. Lets your mind wonder, and clear itself out." Autumn just nodded and watched the ocean waves smack into the ship's sides. "What are we haulin'?" She asked after moments of silence.  
"Sugarloaf and other goods. So, why is it that you wanted to sail on a ship?" Lucas asked.  
"Me dad is gone, so me mum and little brother don't have much money left. So here I am, to help." Autumn looked back out to the ocean, she missed her family already.


	2. Journey

Earlier the next morning Captain Jack Sparrow walked out of the Captain's quarters and survey his ship. They were to deliver goods to Port Greenhill, near the Isla Vaca and Tortuga which was only an eight day sail. He eyed the boy that he'd just hired earlier that day, something different about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Good day for sailin' Captn'" Mr. Gibbs said at his side.  
"Yes, it is." Jack replied, smiling. He began to think that it was time for a drink, he had not had one in about two hours. "Fetch me rum Gibbs."

"Yes sir," and off ran Gibbs. He brought it back quickly and Jack took a few drinks. He headed up to the ship's helm. No point in being the Captain if you weren't going to steer your own ship he always said.

"Privateer across the way." Gibbs pointed to a boat about 10 miles away. They watched the ship closely for the next half an hour, it didn't seem to be heading their way. Jack relaxed again, steering his ship. He thought about the days when he was a true pirate. He looked down at his compass, a new one that now worked. His crew gave it to him after escaping the hands of Commodore Norrington. What an adventure, he'd have to visit the old chap one day. Thanks to Norrington was how Jack became a "refined" pirate. He watched his crew as they went about their morning chores, there was that young boy Jonathan, mopping up the deck.

"Did there seem to be anything… odd… about the boy I just hired?" Jack asked Mr. Gibbs.

"Not really sir, he's just shy 'sall."

Jack watched the boy for a few more minutes, deciding that was probably all that was wrong with him, just shy.

"And Doc, he's our cook too." Lucas was telling Autumn about the members of the crew. They were finishing mopping the deck for their morning chores.  
"Lovely." Autumn replied.  
Lucas gave her a look, "Lovely? What kind of man uses the word… lovely?"

Oh no, thought Autumn, I better learn to watch what I say. "Sorry, just used to hearing the women of the household use it often." Quickly changing the subject she asked about Captain Jack Sparrow.  
"Yeah, good Captain he is, even if he is drunk and womanizing all the time." "Lots of women?" Autumn somehow felt a little sick by this, what did it matter to her?  
"Oh yes, I'm going to have to take you to the brothel in Port Greenhill when we get there. Get you a woman for a night mate. Or maybe even more!" Lucas laughed.  
The thought made Autumn laugh inside as well as disgusted. Laugh because she was a woman and Lucas didn't know, and disgusted because… well, that's just what it was.

"What are ya laughing for? Never been with a woman eh?" Lucas was throwing the dirty water overboard.

"No, I can honestly say that I haven't." Autumn replied. She shuddered inwardly.

"We'll change that alright." Lucas laughed.

No you will not, she replied in her mind.


	3. Secrets revealed

Autumn was learning a lot during her days on the ship. She'd even learn to climb the mast, this was a thrill all by itself. At first she had been afraid, but now it wasn't so bad. The trick was to climb barefoot so thatyou could gripthe wood with your toes, Lucashad told her.They were becoming best friends, Autumn and Lucas. They shared life stories, of course, Autumn had to turn hers to fit a boys lifestyle. Lucas, she learned,used to be a Black Smith in Port Royal, then joinedthe Black Pearl's crew when hisyoung wife and baby died during the childbirth process. Lucashad wanted to marry young, and was very much in love withhis wife. The pain was still with him, as it had only been a year ago when she died. He said that it would be quite a while before he married again. Autumn understood this.

It was the third day of the voyage when Lucas asked her to fix a sail that had come loose by winds the night before.  
"Sure, no problem mate." She had also picked up on the "pirate" language. She skimmed up the mast to the sail fixed the sail. As she began to climb back down and strong force of wind hit her. Before she could do anything about it, Autumn lost her grip and fell at least twelve feet, she hit the deck hard. The fall was so strong that it knocked her out.  
"Jonathan!" Lucas ran to her side, he picked her up. Noticing how… almost womanly the boy felt in his arms.  
Just then Jack ran up, "Is he okay?"

"Knocked out." Lucas replied.  
"Get him to Doc!" Jack told Lucas. "Lucky the fall wasn't from higher up, he might have been killed."

Autumn opened her eyes and felt the pain immediately. The last thing she remembered was watching the sails fly away from her. She sat up, her whole body sore. Her left arm had been splinted and she was covered in a blanket. Suddenly she realized, the cloth wasn't wrapped around her chest anymore, she had a new shirt on. Oh no! They must know! She could only hope that Doc didn't tell the Captain, for surely she would be thrown overboard. No, he wouldn't do that, you just couldn't do that to a woman.

The door opened quickly, and in stormed Jack. "Just what do you think you were doing! You lied to me and my crew! I hired you and you didn't have the decency to tell me that you're a woman! Do you know what kind of bad luck it is to have a woman aboard a ship? No! You probably don't! Pray tell me why you decided to lie to me and my crew! Why, I should throw you overboard right now!" Jack continued to yell at Autumn as she sat there with her anger growing.

What a rude, horrible man to say such things! "For your information," she yelled, "I am trying to earn money for my family!" She was standing now, face to face with this… this… pirate. "And that is the stupidest superstition that I have ever heard! A woman is not bad luck upon a ship! Nothing bad has happened while I've been here, except for MY falling!" She glared at him, fuming.  
"You will stay in this room for the rest of the voyage. As soon as we reach port you are to leave this ship and not come back. You will earn your family some money elsewhere." With that, Jack turned and slammed the door.

He stormed up the stairs. How dare she? That woman, pretending to be a man and come aboard his ship! Lies, stupid woman, telling lies. She was a beautiful thing though. Jack quickly shoved that thought from his mind. They would be at Port Greenhill in three days and she would be gone. He was angry, he needed rum.

Autumn sat on the bunk in her cabin. Tears burned her eyes, no money for her family. What was she going to do, and how would she get back to her home?

"Captain!" Gibbs was running toward him. He was pointing toward the front of the ship. "It's the privateer we saw a few days ago. She's heading for us!"

"Bloody hell." Mumbled Jack, he really was going to need his rum. "Bloody woman, perfect example why it's bad luck to have 'em aboard."

"Sir?" Mr. Gibbs asked, quite confused.  
"Our dear Jonathan is in fact, a woman." Jack was now watching the privateer gaining on them. No use running, they wouldn't make it now.  
"Ready the cannons!" Jack yelled to his crew. Men began scrambling around to get ready for battle.

The first shot rang out and smashed through one of the sails. Below deck Autumn heard the cannon fire and her eyes widened. This couldn't be! She didn't care what Jack had said, she was going up to see what was going on. Still sore from the fall, Autumn managed to make it up onto the top deck. There was another ship, it was getting closer. Both of the ships were now returning fire. The battle was getting ugly. Frozen with fear and pain, Autumn stood against a wall and breathed deep. She watched as the battle raged on and soon the enemy ship was pulling up alongside the Black Pearl. Autumn knew what was next, they were going to board.


End file.
